Prodigal Sunday
You are here
We are reminded of the great Love the Father has for his Prodigal Son which encourages us to be reconciled to the Lover of Mankind, at The Good Shepherd Orthodox Church this Sunday.
Divine Liturgy — 10:00 am
Join us in celebrating the Divine Liturgy on this third Sunday before Lent.
When I disobeyed in ignorance Your fatherly glory, I wasted in iniquities the riches that You gave me. So I cry to You with the voice of a prodigal, saying, “I have sinned before You, O compassionate Father, receive me repentant, and make me as one of Your hired servants.”
About the Sunday of the Prodigal Son and His Loving Father
This parable of God’s forgiveness calls us to “come to ourselves,” to see ourselves as being “in a far country,” far from the Father’s house, and to make the journey to return to God. We are given every assurance by the Master that our heavenly Father will receive us with joy and gladness. We must only “arise and go,” confessing our self-inflicted and sinful separation from that “home” where we truly belong (Luke 15:11-24).
The main subject of this parable is the warm parental love of the Father. The father's love was unbroken and firm for his prodigal son. His love was shown more at the return of his son than in the beginning, despite the fact that his son squandered his “properties.”
In the end, however, the son exchanged his prodigality for repentance, and this is the crux of the parable. This moment changes the prodigal son into the prudent son, expelling arrogance with repentance.
The son at the beginning said, “give me,” but in the end he asked, “make me,” which expresses the depth of repentance and obedience recommended to each and every Christian.
Details
The Good Shepherd Orthodox Church, located in Clayton, Melbourne, is a living witness to the power of the Gospel and the fullness of the Christian Faith in modern, secular Australia.
We are a vibrant Australian Christian community under the direction of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand & the Philippines, within the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.
The Church of Antioch is the continuation of the Christian community founded in Antioch by the Apostles Peter (who served as its first bishop) and Paul. The Patriarchate of Antioch is the oldest of the ancient Patriarchates constituting the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.
All services are in the English language and are held in the Main Chapel of the Religious Centre at Monash University, Clayton Campus, conveniently located in the centre of Melbourne’s residential population.
Parking in the University car parks is free after 7:00 pm, but please take note of all signs regarding Loading Zones, No Standing and Disabled Parking, these restrictions apply and are enforced.
For directions to the Religious Centre click here